Category: UFC / MMA

* * *Watch as the UFC Vegas 11: Covington vs. Woodley fighters squared off following Friday’s official weigh-in at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.The UFC Vegas 11 main event features a heated grudge match between former teammates Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley. (Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Tyron Woodley espouses Black Lives Matter; Colby Covington calls him racist* * * UFC Vegas 11: Covington vs. Woodley weigh-in results UFC Vegas 11 Main Card (8 p.m. ET on ESPN+) * Welterweight: Colby Covington (171) vs. Tyron Woodley (171) * Welterweight: Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (170.5) vs. Niko Price (170.5) * Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev (185.5) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (186) * Light Heavyweight: Johnny Walker (205.5) vs. Ryan Spann (205.5) * Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (115) vs. Randa Markos (115.5) * Middleweight: Kevin Holland (185) vs. Darren Stewart (185.5) UFC Vegas 11 Preliminary Card (5 p.m. ET on ESPN+) * Featherweight: Mirsad Bektic (144.5) vs. Damon Jackson (145.5) * Women’s Flyweight: Mayra Bueno Silva (125.5) vs. Mara Romero Borella (125) * Flyweight: Jordan Espinosa (126) vs. David Dvořák (125.5) * Women’s Bantamweight: Jessica-Rose Clark (135) vs. Sarah Alpar (135.5) * Bantamweight: Journey Newson (135) vs. Randy Costa (135) * Bantamweight: Andre Ewell (134.5) vs. Irwin Rivera (135.5) * Featherweight: Darrick Minner (146) vs. T.J. Laramie (145) * Bantamweight: Tyson Nam (136) vs. Jerome Rivera (135)* * * Tyron Woodley refuses to wear mask, as he and Colby Covington make weight for UFC Vegas 11(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

One of the most anticipated grudge matches in UFC history is now set after Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley made weight on Friday at The UFC Apex.Covington vs. Woodley headlines UFC Vegas 11 (aka UFC on ESPN+ 36), the fight promotion’s final event in Las Vegas before returning to UFC Fight Island for a five-week stint in Abu Dhabi.Woodley made a statement at Thursday’s UFC Vegas 11 press conference, answering every reporter’s question with some version of the refrain “because Black Lives Matter.”He took that a step further at Friday’s weigh-in, walking to the stage with a Black Lives Matter headband and shorts with a t-shirt that read “Legalize Being Black.”Notably, when Woodley stepped on the scale, he did not have a mask on. The Nevada State Athletic Commission official manning the scale repeatedly asked Woodley to put on a mask as required by the commission’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Woodley repeatedly refused.The official eventually stopped asking and registered Woodley’s weight. He hit the non-title fight mark of 171 pounds.Later in the weigh-in, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone also refused to wear a mask.Covington took to the scale a short time after Woodley with a mask on. His mask was adorned with a black and white silhouette of the United States flag with the word Freedom across the front.Covington also stepped on the scale at 171 pounds, making their main event official.The UFC Vegas 11 co-main event features another welterweight fight. Cerrone tipped the scale at 170.5 pounds, as did his opponent Niko Price. The two have been all smiles this week, each looking forward to a fun throwdown that is sure to please fans.The fight promotion returns to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi next week for the UFC 253 headlining showdown between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Paulo Costa.* * *TRENDING > Tyron Woodley espouses Black Lives Matter; Colby Covington calls him racist* * * UFC Vegas 11: Covington vs. Woodley weigh-in results UFC Vegas 11 Main Card (8 p.m. ET on ESPN+) * Welterweight: Colby Covington (171) vs. Tyron Woodley (171) * Welterweight: Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone (170.5) vs. Niko Price (170.5) * Middleweight: Khamzat Chimaev (185.5) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (186) * Light Heavyweight: Johnny Walker (205.5) vs. Ryan Spann (205.5) * Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern (115) vs. Randa Markos (115.5) * Middleweight: Kevin Holland (185) vs. Darren Stewart (185.5) UFC Vegas 11 Preliminary Card (5 p.m. ET on ESPN+) * Featherweight: Mirsad Bektic (144.5) vs. Damon Jackson (145.5) * Women’s Flyweight: Mayra Bueno Silva (125.5) vs. Mara Romero Borella (125) * Flyweight: Jordan Espinosa (126) vs. David Dvořák (125.5) * Women’s Bantamweight: Jessica-Rose Clark (135) vs. Sarah Alpar (135.5) * Bantamweight: Journey Newson (135) vs. Randy Costa (135) * Bantamweight: Andre Ewell (134.5) vs. Irwin Rivera (135.5) * Featherweight: Darrick Minner (146) vs. T.J. Laramie (145) * Bantamweight: Tyson Nam (136) vs. Jerome Rivera (135)* * * UFC Vegas 11 weigh-in: Colby Covington vs. Tyron Woodley(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

* * *One of the most anticipated grudge matches in UFC history is now set after Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley made weight on Friday at The UFC Apex.Covington vs. Woodley headlines UFC Vegas 11 (aka UFC on ESPN+ 36), the fight promotion’s final event in Las Vegas before returning to UFC Fight Island for a five-week stint in Abu Dhabi.Woodley made a statement at Thursday’s UFC Vegas 11 press conference, answering every reporter’s question with some version of the refrain “because Black Lives Matter.”He took that a step further at Friday’s weigh-in, walking to the stage with a Black Lives Matter headband and shorts with a t-shirt that read “Legalize Being Black.”Notably, when Woodley stepped on the scale, he did not have a mask on. The Nevada State Athletic Commission official manning the scale repeatedly asked Woodley to put on a mask as required by the commission’s COVID-19 safety protocols. Woodley repeatedly refused.The official eventually stopped asking and registered Woodley’s weight. He hit the non-title fight mark of 171 pounds.Later in the weigh-in, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone also refused to wear a mask.Covington took to the scale a short time after Woodley with a mask on. His mask was adorned with a black and white silhouette of the United States flag with the word Freedom across the front.Covington also stepped on the scale at 171 pounds, making their main event official.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Tyron Woodley espouses Black Lives Matter; Colby Covington calls him racist* * * Tyron Woodley refuses to wear mask at UFC Vegas 11 Weigh-Ins(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

* * *Former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley used his platform at the UFC Vegas 11 press conference to espouse Black Lives Matter, repeatedly responding to questions with some form of “because Black Lives Matter” in his answer.Woodley’s UFC Vegas 11 opponent, Colby Covington, who is know for his fiery tone, took a measured approach into getting his digs in during the press conference, saying, “Yeah, I would think that Tyron asked not to engage with me in person, doing his little thing. He’s trying to copy what I do… He’s the only one that’s racist. And the only race there is in this fight is the race to get him out of the UFC.”* * *TRENDING > Glover Teixeira vs. Thiago Santos scrapped after both fighters test positive for COVID-19* * * UFC Vegas 11 Face-Offs(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

Chandler knew exactly where he wanted to end up when he became a free agent in August.

* * *At Thursday’s UFC Vegas 11 press conference, Colby Covington responded to Tyron Woodley’s hat that said “Make Racism Catch The Fade Again.””The only person that’s catching a fade is Tyron Woodley on Saturday night. He’s the only one that’s racist. And the only race they is in this fight is the race to get him out of the UFC.”* * *TRENDING > UFC signs Michael Chandler, who will serve as Khabib vs. Gaethje back-up* * * Tyron Woodley refuses to answer questions repeating Black Lives Matter mantra at the UFC Vegas 11 press conference(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *See UFC Vegas 11 fighters Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, Niko Price, Khamzat Chimaev, Gerald Meerschaert, Johnny Walker, and Ryan Spann stare each other down in Las Vegas.The UFC Vegas 11 (aka UFC on ESPN…

By any stretch, Tyron Woodley has had a remarkable MMA career, which makes his two most recent losses that much more puzzling.

* * *The UFC Vegas 11 showdown between Colby Covington and Tyron Woodley is one of the biggest non-title fights in the company’s history. That is due almost entirely to the venom that has been spewed between the former American Top Team teammates over the past couple of years.While the fight was expected to provide as much fireworks outside of the cage as it will inside the cage, thus far, the out-of-the-cage vitriol has largely failed to materialize.Woodley, for his part, has used his platform as part of the marquee fight to espouse Black Lives Matter, a movement pressing for equality for people of color.Throughout Woodley’s UFC Vegas 11 press conference on Thursday, he repeatedly answered “because Black Lives Matter” or some version thereof to all of the questions posed him.Woodley wore a hat with the slogan, “Make Racists Catch The Fade Again,” while Covington wore a “Keep America Great” Donald Trump hat.(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)* * *TRENDING > Video: President Donald Trump tells Colby Covington he’ll be watching Tyron Woodley fight* * * UFC Vegas 11 face-offs video(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

UFC president Dana White on Thursday revealed that Conor McGregor is in the UFC’s plans for early 2021, but he was rather coy about whether or not those plans included the Irish superstar actually returning to the Octagon.“We’re actually working on some fun stuff for Conor at the beginning of next year,” White said during an interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Thursday. “He should be back next year.“I’m not saying he’s coming back to fight guaranteed, but we’re talking right now about some stuff.”McGregor has not set foot in the Octagon since his 40-second knockout of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in the UFC 246 main event in January of this year.His initial plan at that time called for McGregor to fight at least three times during his “2020 season.” That was prior to the global pandemic and the near worldwide shutdown that occurred.Amidst the shutdown, McGregor abruptly announced his retirement on June 6 via his social media platforms.Just what White means by “fun stuff,” however, is rather vague. He clearly didn’t want to commit to McGregor returning to fight in the Octagon.McGregor has often teased wanting to box again, whether that be an attempt to avenge his loss to Floyd Mayweather or to face someone like Manny Pacquiao.White has also mentioned that he is still talking with Mayweather about working together, so it is possible that a rematch could be in the offing.McGregor’s manager, Audie Attar, in speaking with ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, shed little light on White’s comments.”We had some very interesting talks with the UFC recently,” Attar admitted. “We are excited about the future and working on some fun things. Exciting things to come in the near future.”* * *TRENDING > Dana White: Conor McGregor Arrest, Jon Jones, wrestler’s execution, and UFC Fight Island* * * Dana White announces Conor McGregor’s potential return, Michael Chandler signing(Video courtesy of ESPN MMA)

Few are as entertaining, inside or outside the Octagon, as Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

Former Bellator lightweight champion Michael Chandler is no longer a free agent. UFC president Dana White on Thursday revealed that the promotion had signed Chandler to act as a back-up option for UFC 254 on Oct. 24 on Fight Island.UFC 254 is the second of two pay-per-view events that bookend the UFC’s return to Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is set to unify his belt with that of interim titleholder Justin Gaethje in the main event.UFC 253 kicks off the promotion’s return to Abu Dhabi with middleweight champion Israel Adesanya defending his title opposite Paulo Costa.With Nurmagomedov’s history of sporadic issues keeping him from making it to the cage, as well as the era of COVID-19 forced withdrawals, the UFC wanted to have a back-up plan in place for such a marquee UFC 254 headliner.The original plan was to have former interim beltholders Tony Ferguson and Dustin Poirier square off on the card with one or the other able to step into the main event, as necessary. But when the UFC was unable to come to terms with Poirier, they shifted to Chandler as an option.”The last fight, when we leave (Fight Island), Oct. 24 is gonna be Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Justin Gaethje,” White said on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Thursday.”We have signed Michael Chandler. Michael Chandler is now a part of the UFC. He will be in Abu Dhabi on (Oct. 24) as a back-up in case anything happens to either one of these fighters in the main event.”Just a few days ago, White had said that Ferguson was still targeted to be on the UFC 254 fight card, but did not reveal the planned opponent.Many insiders pointed to Chandler as a likely option, but White has not indicated that Chandler would have a fight lined up for UFC 254, only that he would serve as the back-up if either main eventer dropped out.White has not yet addressed Ferguson any further. So it remains to be seen if he will still be fighting at UFC 254 in Abu Dhabi.* * *TRENDING > Dana White on Dustin Poirier: ‘He didn’t want to take (Tony Ferguson) fight.’* * * Dana White: Conor McGregor Arrest, Jon Jones and Fight Island | UFC VEGAS 10 Post(Subscribe to MMAWeekly.com on YouTube)

The UFC’s lightweight division might be the deepest in the sport, and Chandler’s addition only adds to that.

Rumors are flying around about Floyd Mayweather receiving a contract to offer to fight YouTube influencer-turned fighter Logan Paul.

Newly-crowned undisputed welterweight champion Jessica McCaskill and trainer Rick Ramos break down her historic and shocking win against Cecilia Braekhus.